Firebird
by Lady Tyria
Summary: The first of three fics. The pilots brought to Canada by two insane teenage girls?
1. Crash-Landing

Firebird  
  
by Tyria  
  
Chapter One: The Crash  
  
  
  
This is chapter one of my Gundam Wing fic, Firebird, and no, the title won't   
make any sense for a while.  
  
One tiny note, I know it's a common notion that Duo, Heero, Quatra and   
Trowa are gay, but in this fic, for my own reasons, they aren't. I don't   
have problems with the gay thing, and can even find examples of it in the   
show, but, it's just better this way.  
  
Another note, things written like =this= are over radio or other electronic   
media. And I just can't seem to stop talking, can I?  
  
Here it is, my long awaited (by Raleena, at least.) Chapter one.  
  
  
  
The parc is always so quiet at night. The only people here at this time of   
night are a few couples, some beggars, and me. Maybe some murderers and   
stuff. After all, everyone hides something. And for me, it's a douzy.  
I'm Duo Maxwell. An ex-gundam pilot. Ever since that fateful day when the   
war ended, I've had a few problems fitting in. No one even knows what I've   
been through. Except Hilde, and she's been in the hospital ever since she   
was taken off of M.O.II, where she was put before the PeaceMillion's suicide   
run.  
  
She's been like that since she infiltrated Libra and got us vital info on   
it. She made a great sacrifice, just to prove me wrong.  
Actually, it's better that people don't know. Lotsa people have reasons to   
ice a gundam pilot.  
  
I often wonder what the other guys have been doing. I wonder if the one,   
Heero Yui, is even still alive. From what I've seen, he's slightly suicidal.   
And what about the others? The friendly Quatra Raberba Winners, the quiet   
Trowa Barton and the secretive Chan Wufei. The other gundam pilots. Fifteen   
year old boys who won a war. We couldn't have done it without our gundams.  
The Death-Scythe Hell. My gundam. I haven't taken up my role as the   
Shinigami since the war ended.  
  
I look up at the moon. I've always been mesmerized by how it looks from   
earth. From the colonies, it looks like a barren cemetery.  
  
My vision is obscured as someone puts their hands over my eyes. "BOO! Guess   
who, Duo!!!"  
  
"Hi-hi-Hilde??!" She removes her hands and sits beside me. Her left leg is   
in a cast. She leans her crutches against the side of the bench.  
  
"Aw, man, you know me too well." She exclaims. She leans back against the   
bench and smiles broadly.  
  
"B...b....but I thought you were still in the hospital!!" I stammer in   
surprise. I hadn't expected to see the ex-Oz soldier for days, at least. A   
sharp breeze flies by, ruffling our bangs.  
  
"Well maybe you shoulda visited more, Mr. Death-angel."  
  
"Hilde, you know I..."  
  
"Ya, I know Duo. Sorry. Where'd you hide dea..." I sharp glare makes her   
re-think her words. I can't just have her blurting it out. "I mean, where'd   
you hide it?"  
  
"In the colonies, where it was before. It'll be save there, and..." I add   
with a twinkle in my eye. "...That's why I didn't visit."  
  
"But Duo, what if you need it! The world still isn't a save place! Especially not for you! I mean..."  
  
"Wow. We really don't like letting each other finish sentences, do we? I   
won't need it though. I'm done with wars and fighting and death, and I'm   
sure they don't have fond remarks for me later. Besides, I'm a big boy, I   
can take care of myself, y'know."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Hilde, are you all right?"  
  
"Besides my foot, ya. It's still busted up pretty bad."  
  
'That's not what I meant.' I think sourly. Not much I can do 'bout it, though. We sit in uncomfortable silence for what feels like  
a long time. I   
start to fall asleep but before I can gain that comfort, Hilde nudges me.  
When I look over at her, she points towards the horizon. "Do ya see that   
bright light over there?"  
  
"Bright light?" I look in the direction she's pointing. There's a bright   
white light, steadily growing brighter and closer. All the couples look up   
and speak in quiet whispers. Some of the homeless begin to wake, one of them   
with a loud groan.  
  
"Ya, I see it, Hilde. If I didn't know better... I'd swear..." The fiery   
object comes into better view. One bright splinter breaks of, proving its   
own self to be a burning wing. The mobile suit carrier, minus it's right   
wing, is in its death throes. It begins to careen towards the ground, right   
towards the tidy little park. The man who had groaned loudly noticed too,   
and yelled out to all the current inhabitants of the park in a thick Russian   
accent, "RUN, It's a suit carrier!!!"  
  
Several of the women scream as men and women alike make haste to escape   
their fiery doom. I jump up and grab Hilde's crutches and hold them out to   
her. The craft finally begins to scrape along the ground sliding and   
groaning swiftly towards us. 'Hilde can't get away in time, only one thing   
left to do... and it ain't let her die!!!'  
  
I grab Hilde's shoulders and roughly pull her to the ground behind the   
bench. Both crutches go flying, and one breaks in half with an auditable   
crack. I don't thing Hilde's even consious as the no-longer space worthy   
craft slides to a halt about two meters away.  
  
I wonder frustrated as to the fate of the carrier. Who had been on board   
the unlucky ship? Had they survived? What was the cause of the fatal   
flames? Was this a military craft, or civilian? I know that after the war   
some shuttles were remodeled into passenger carriers. What had the crews   
destination been?  
  
I move off of the unconscious Hilde and instinctually check her pulse.   
She's breathing, and her pulse is steady. She'll be fine. The fire is   
gradually spreading towards what I know to be the fuel tank.  
Just before the fire reaches what will be the end of the plane, a dark   
figure jumps from the pilot side door and roles away from the fiery   
explosion which soon follows.  
  
  
  
The figure stands painfully. Looks like the landing was rough, but he's   
lucky to be alive. The fire must not have been in the cockpit. That means   
that if there was a passenger, he may of escaped the inferno as well, but   
from my point of view, I can't see the opposite side of the wreckage.  
  
The man has on black flight boots and, from what I can see, tight black   
pants with blue vertical stripes, one on both the left and right side of the   
leg, but not the front and back. I can't see much else of the stranger   
because he's wearing a black trench coat. Covering his head is a black   
oblong helmet with identical stripes. The vizor is a dark blue and can't be   
seen through. He begins to walk steadily towards Hilde and I.  
  
I draw my pistol and point it visibly at his head. He stops and puts his   
hands up in the air. They were tinier than I had expected, and covered in   
black and blue matching gloves. I'm starting to notice a pattern, you?  
  
I stand slowly, watching the man carefully and keeping my gun leveled at   
his head. 'If he tries anything, than I have a little experiment. Let's see   
how many shots that flight helmet can take before his brains get blown out.   
My estimate, two. Looks like the same things running through his head. Oh   
well, no science fair project for me.'  
  
"Stay where you are, and don't try anything. Take off your helmet than put   
your hands back up where I can see'im."  
  
The gloved hands remove the helmet and drop it to the ground. Her brown   
hair with dark green highlights to tumble down loose a little past her   
shoulders. 'So, the pilot is a girl. Bet she wore that just so she could   
pass herself off as a guy. My second bet, she's running, and hopes she can   
get away as a guy. Specially if they know 'bout the green dye.'  
  
"Listen, Mr. Rice-a-roni. I been through a lot of shiat ta get here an' I   
ain't gonna let no armed civilian stop me, y'hear? I'm lookin'' for a Duo   
Maxwell, y'know him?"  
  
"You're lookin' at'im, lady. Now why you after a nice guy like me an'   
causin' all this hub-bub?" I keep my firearm steady at her pretty face.  
  
"Listen, Maxwell. I don't have time to mess 'round. We gotta get outta here   
before..."  
  
"Before what?"  
  
"Too late." One of her hands points straight up.  
  
"Oh, com'n, you're not gonna..." I hear the unmistakable sounds of mobile   
suits changing from flight mode to battle ready. Two Aries land, boxing us   
in so the only way out is behind me. I lower my gun nozzle slightly. Looks   
like I'm aimin' at the wrong person. I look behind me and there's a third   
Aries right there. The lead Aries announces through his speaker, "Shareena   
Tagger, surrender at once. Civilians, out of the way."  
  
Then as a unnecessary warning, he shoots a giant mecha machine gun,   
splintering the bench and cutting up Hilde pretty bad.  
  
The pilot, Shareena, turns towards the lead suit, hands still raised in   
defeat. 'Her arms must be getting tired.'  
  
"Maxwell, get outta here. Go to North Bay, Canada. I'll take care of this,   
go." She orders in a hushed voice.  
  
"But..."  
  
"The girl is injured. Get her outta here and to a hospital. Do as I tell   
ya."  
  
"They'll kill you..."  
  
"Run, or I'LL kick your ass!!"  
  
I unwillingly oblige her request to die alone and slip an arm around   
Hilde's waist to start helping her back out of the way. Shareena unfastens   
her ebony trench coat to unveil her outfit and lets the coat fall to the   
ground.  
  
I literarily gape at her outfit. It was so tight it fit her like a second   
skin. Turns out her pants are actually part of a one piece jump suit. The   
uniform was black and the exterior blue stripes on the legs went all the way   
up each side of her torso and each side of her arms also share the lines.   
She has dynamite strapped around her waist. She unhesitatingly presses the   
activation button. Red lights interspersed around the explosives began   
flashing at regular intervals.  
  
"She's suiciding, bail!!!" One of the Aries yells. Two of the Aries fly   
away. The flashing is gradually going faster. "Get back here, I'll have you   
two court- marshaled!!" The lead Aries yells. The two other Aries don't   
stop.  
  
I hear a loud crash and turn back to the wreckage to see the Wing Zero rise   
up out of the dying blaze. It picks the fleeing suits out of the air. The   
surprised remaining Aries manages one shot at the gundam, but misses in its   
haste and hits the wreckage to the right of Zero instead.  
  
"Shareena, what are you doin'!!" I yell as the Wing Zero walks out of the   
cataclysmic devastation that was the mobile suit carrier to stand next to   
the ready-to-explode girl. "Are you nuts!!!?"  
  
The light ultimately flashes so fast it becomes a blur. The activation   
button pops out as the light abruptly stops. A small rod pops out and a red   
flag unfurls. In yellow letters, out-lined in black is the word 'BANG'.  
  
The pilot giggles uproariously. "Works every time. Those ozies are sooooooo   
stupid!!!"  
  
"Huh?" I ask brilliantly.  
  
She reaches behind herself and the explosives clatter to the ground. She   
wraps them and her helmet up in the trenchcoat. "Yui, get down here."  
  
The massive mecha's cockpit opens and Heero Yui jumps down, landing on the   
ground in a crouch. "Duo, these are FAKE explosives. It'll take'em five   
minutes to reload. Meanwhile, we gotta get the girl to hospital, then , we   
scram."  
  
"Hey, I don't know who you are or what you're doing, but I'm not going   
anywhere till I know why you're causing trouble."  
  
"Sheesh. Heero was easier. That reminds me. Heero, you got my sac?"  
  
"Uh huh."  
  
"Pass it here." He tosses the bag to Shareena. After catching it easily,   
she turns back to Hilde and I. "Not very talkative, is'e?"  
  
She pulls a pair of dark blue flare jeans out of the bag and begins to pull   
them on over her flight attire.  
  
"What's goin' on?" i ask while lying the unconscious form of Hilde down on   
the ground.  
  
"Hey, you find out in Canada like EVERYONE else. Including me. I just do   
what I'm told. Occasionally."  
  
"All right, Shareena, what now?"  
  
"Hey, call me Shar. Everyone else does."  
  
"Uh, ya. Sure, whatever." Shar's flares were so long they covered her boots   
completely. She had put on a huge dark green sweater that was so big on her   
that it hung off her hands. She is now in the process of putting her hair   
in a ponytail. She is going very slowly, as if to make it perfect. "Why were   
those soldiers after you two?"  
  
"'Cause they're weenie boys." An angry frown from Heero makes her sigh.   
  
"Ok. Short version, that carrier wasn't exactly mine. Long version comes   
later." She seems to be done with her hair, but all the green streaks were   
loose. The ponytail consisted entirely of brown hair. She dug through the   
back pack and pulled out a plain baseball cap.  
  
She loops her ponytail through and puts the cap on. It now looks like she   
has plain brown hair. 'Smart way of hiding. Don't put on big fancy   
disguises, just change the little things. They're looking for brown and   
green hair, they find brown, they pass her by.'  
  
"All right, I'll help Duo with Hilde. Heero, you take Zero and get us some   
transport outta here. There's a base up north three miles. I should do. Take   
our ride to the forest to the North-East of the base, 2 miles. We'll meet   
cha there. Chow."  
  
Heero turns to get back into his gundam. Shareena helps me with Hilde. As   
we make our way slowly to the hospital, we get a chance to watch the mecha   
fly off to the horizon.  
  
  
  
Shar and I walk out of the hospital. "Shareena, where are we going to go   
after this?"  
  
"To the circus...."  
  
"The circus?!!! Actually, I don't think I want to know. Are we walkin', or   
catching a cab?"  
  
The strange woman smiles and sings a few lyrics of a song. "'These boots   
were made for walkin' and that's just a what they'll do.'"  
  
I groan.  
  
  
  
Ahh... I was right to follow 02. Ghost strikes again. That pesky rebel will   
not escape again. =Commander, this is ghost, I have a report to make.   
Send troops to the Famous Players traveling circus in the Ivory Coast. Tell   
them to look for a girl with an oversized sweater and brown hair, in a   
hat...=  
  
  
  
Yeah!!!!!!! I finished the first chapter. You like?? I'm sure Raleena's   
happy. BTW, Leena and I have been workin' on some projects, including and   
original story and an RW fic. Keep our eyes open! Tyria. ^_~  
  



	2. Hard To Get

  
  
Firebird  
  
by Tyria  
  
Chapter 2: Hard to get.  
Hello!! This is Tyria again. But I'm sure you figured that out. This is chapter two (or at least it will be chapter two...) Of  
Firebird, the first in a trilogy of Gw fics I've got story-boarded in my mind. And no, you didn't find out why it's called Firebird  
last time. And I don't think you will here, either. Anyhow.... Here it is...  
  
  
I bow to the audience. I'm wearing the flashy clown outfit again. It's been quite a long time. But... Cat thought that I couldn't  
just keep doing only labor, so instead I'm a clown.  
  
There was something distracting me today. A strange, nagging feeling that something wasn't right. Now I've changed my mind.  
Two some things aren't right. A girl and a boy.  
  
The girl has one headphone on. She is sitting in the front row, with a perfect view of the sword throwing act Cat and I are about  
to do. Probably for the hundredth time.  
  
Catherine leads me over to the knife throwing area after her own plunging bow. Cat takes her stance as the first knife is shot up  
into the air. She catches the plummeting blade between two fingers and in the same seamless motion tosses it violently towards  
me, hitting the wood behind me with a strange chucking noise. The blade was about one and a half centimeters below my right  
arm, practically in my armpit.  
  
The boy could barely be seen. He had on a hooded light blue and sea green jacket, with the hood up. He had on gray woolen  
gloves, but lots of people did. It is a cold night. Cat had been sitting under a wool blanket backstage while waiting for our turn.  
  
The next knife plunks into the hardwood right next to my left ear. I have to look over the girl's head to see the boy.  
  
What kind of people pay to come to a circus but not to observe it?  
  
Two more blades smack the backing on either side of my right leg. Have they found me? There are lots of people who'd love  
to get their hands on a gundam pilot like me. For the revenge of lost loved-ones, people disgruntled over the outcome of the  
war, bounty-hunters being paid by those people. You have to be either extremely brave, extremely stupid, or extremely insane  
to come after a gundam and expect to live.  
  
Or be a gundam pilot yourself.  
  
Catherine next throws three knives at once, after catching all three at once, by the blade. Lots of guys in the audience hooted  
and hollered but it doesn't distract Cat, she's used to it. The entire audience cheers excitedly.  
  
But not the boy and girl. They both watch silently, and expectant. The girl has a bulky green sweater and an indiscriminate cap.  
She has brown hair. She shrinks down slightly and whispers into her sweater in a way that makes it hard for even for me to tell  
she was actually speaking. The guy might just think the girl is pretty and he might be looking at her instead of the show.  
  
But the girl...  
  
"An admirer, Trowa?" Cat teases faintly as she begins to hook me up to the circular backing so that when it spins, I'll be  
brought along with it and the seven daggers.  
  
"There's something not right with the one girl, first row." May as well not tell her about the guy, I'm pretty sure he's just getting a  
crush on the girl. Things like that happen to normal people. Normal... ha!  
  
"You're just letting your past get to you, she probably got dragged here by her friends, or..." She grunts slightly as she tightens a  
particularly stubborn rope around me. "... she's getting a crush on you or..." She brushes her hands together and smiles playfully  
at me. "...who knows, maybe she fell asleep with her eyes open!"  
  
Cat walks back over to her spot as the wheel begins to rotate.  
  
"Hmm..." I consider her words, ohter than the eyes open part. She must be right, I'm just too suspicious. I even suspect people  
in bad moods of plotting to kill me!  
  
But still, I can't stop watching the girl. There's something not right, I just don't know what.  
  
Am I really that out of normal life?  
  
The girl pulls back a sleeve of her sweater to reveal a gloved hand, then immediately covers it back up. Cat throws a knife,  
skillfully missing by a hair. Again.  
  
That looked like a signal.  
  
No, there I go again. I'm imagining ghost danger in an innocent motion. She's probably just checking her watch, which  
especially makes sense if she's as bored as she looks.  
  
The girl puts both hands on the rails blocking of the audience from the performers and flips into the ring, landing in a crouch and  
stopping Cat right in the middle of the toss. The audience cheers, thinking that it's part of the act. She looks to the right and to  
the left, then begins running towards Catherine and I.  
  
"Hey!" Cat yells at her. "What do you think you're..."  
  
A scream in the audience, followed by an audible hush from several people stops Cat in mid-sentence. I watch from several  
strange angles the tent flaps being thrown open and soldiers in Oz uniforms with guns out begin to flood in as I continue to spin  
slowly. One looks down and yells out. "Down there, get her!"  
  
The girl roles as he takes two shots, each sending up spurts of dust from their impact with the ground. The soldier who looks  
like he's in-charge bellows, "EVERYBODY FREEZE!!"  
  
She takes the last sprinted stride to get behind the wheel, obviously the only cover in the ring. One final shot hits the wood,  
splintering it. One fragment digs deep into my right arm.  
  
"Hold your fire!" The captain barks.  
  
"Everyone, remain calm." One soldiers states soothingly. A woman in the crowd faints. I notice passingly that the boy is gone...  
  
"Tagger, surrender at once or innocents may be hurt."  
  
"'Fraid I can't do that, boys!" She rolls out from behind the wheel and behind Catherine. She stands and wraps one arm around  
Cat's neck to keep her still and brings a gun to her head. Cat yelps. The girl addresses the soldiers, "I don't want to kill the  
chicka, but I will if I haveta! I'm just a gonna take this chicka and this guy, an' I'll be a leavin' ya alone after that, K?" Then she  
adds in a whisper to Cat, "Listen, chicka, I won't hurt cha if ya just do what I tell ya. It ain't you I want, it's him." She tosses her  
head towards me. "Now come wit' me, we're goin' for a li'l walk." She keeps the gun aimed at Cat's head but takes her arm  
away from her neck. They walk closer to me. "Get him outta here. Trowa, I'm with Duo and Heero."  
  
'Duo and Heero?' "Catherine, it's all right."  
  
"'All right?!'" She exclaims, her voice strained, "How do you figure that?"  
  
The soldiers were conferring amongst each other, probably deciding if they need her enough to let Cat die. This girl had better  
hurry... Cat finishes untying my feet and starts on my hands next to the now still wheel.  
  
"She's a friend."  
  
"Nice friend." She mumbles sarcastically.  
  
"She's just doing what is necessary. Stay calm." She finishes disentangling my wrists and I take a step towards my 'friend'.  
  
"Ok," Our capture announces, "We gonna go know. Stay where you be, or they take the fall. By know you fellas should know  
not to underestimate me. I took down three Aries, you ain't no problem." We start backing away with the woman behind us.  
  
"We're not authorized." the captain broadcasts.  
  
"Damn! You don't mean that hoe's gonna get away again!?"  
  
"Ya."  
  
"But Cap..."  
  
"You have your orders. She can't stay lucky forever. And it's nuthi' but plain ole dumb luck.We'll get her eventually."  
  
Right before the woman steps out of the tent, she takes her left hand, brings it to her lips and blows the officer a kiss. "Bye,  
guys. It's been fun. Don't cha just love it when girls play hard to get?"  
  
  
  
Yeah!! I finished chapter two!!!! I am so great, I am so great!!! Ok, that's enough. Bye!  
  
Tyria  
  



	3. Evacuation

Firebird  
Chapter 3  
Evacuation  
The girl leads Catherin and I out into the backstage portion of the tent. She takes the gun away from Cat's head.  
"What are you doing back here? Trowa, Catherin, what's happening?!" The ringleader yells. He starts to walk forward but then the girl levels her gun at him. The other circus-folk start gathering around.  
"Ok, listen to me an' listen good! I don't want to hurt anyone and I'm sorry to have ruined your show. I'm Shareena, and since I kinda dragged y'all inta this, I'm gonna explain." Everyone watches intently, anxiousss to know why the show has been ruined. "Oz isn't gone. It's got a new leader and has been operating in secret since the end of the war. The only people to have fought back is a small organization, of which I take part in. Unfortunately, our strength has been steadly falling and now we need help..."  
"That's why your here, you want a Gundam pilot." The ringleader says.  
"No, we want them _all_. We need all the help we can get. We won't force anybody though. We have to continue this some other time, right now, we gotta get those people outta here! My 'friend' is gonna blast this place apart!"  
"I know exactly what to do..." Cat offers. She explains her plan and Shareena gets a wicked smile.  
  
The Commander's not gonna like this... I lift my radio, a primitive thing, but people don't expect a military group to use something soooo..... AD. =This is Ghost. Commander, she got away. Hostage situation.=  
=Then get them! I'm handing control over to you.=  
The crackle fades away as the Commander drops the line. We must be experiencing problems elsewhere. I quickly change my Radio's tuning from the Commander's private line to the Captain's line.  
=Captain Luke, this is the Ghost. I'm taking command of this operation.=  
=G...g....g.....g....ghost? You're here, sir?! Where...?=  
I see the man looking around. I let myself be forced further into the crowd until I'm right at the edge. I can no longer be seen by him, but using my mirror, can see him from under the banister. =I'm here. Now, send three squads down to the floor with four circled around in sniper position. And, for Heaven's sake, get the other one on crowd control!=  
=Y...y...y...y..yes, sir!= "Squads one, two and three down to the center ring. Squads four to seven, sniper positions around the ring. squad eight, work on this crowd!"  
I sneer. Says it like he came up with it. The fool. I'll talk to the Commander about him...  
My thoughts are distracted as one of the soldier on sniper duty push me out of their way. After some scurrying, I manage to find a spot to continue my observation from, still out of view.  
From backstage, a ruckus starts up. I think 7's got her work cut out. Maybe some of the circus-freaks got the drop on her. Suddenly, as the last of the three squads reaches the ring, a gun shot rings out and many screams follow.   
=Shots fired, your men are now authorized to use lethal force. Continue your operation=  
=Yes, sir!=  
One soldier from Squad three reaches the flap to the backstage area, then topples backwards with a huge lion on him. The lion lets loose a mighty roar as more shots are fired. More animals follow, several lionesses, tigresses, tigers, bears, horses, elephants, gorillas, all unleashed upon the forces in the ring. Two more elephants were somehow let loose into the crowd. Some snipers managed to get off someshots before either the animals or the crowds swept them away.  
I can't blame them though, I myself am forced to follow the crowd or be trampled underfoot. The lion roars again...  
  
"Yee Haa!!! Now _that_ was a hoot! Someone tell me that wasn't a hoot! Anyway, I'm sorry again for dragging you all into this. Is everyone out?"  
"Yes."  
"Good, cuz Heero..." A large blast is heard and the wind from the attack blew at hair and loose clothing. All turned to see the huge tent burn down. Shareena winces. "When Heero's out to blow the house down, he really puffs, don't he? Anyway, down to buisness. Trowa, are ya commin' or not?"  
"Ye..."  
"Trowa, I thought you promised me that you were done with fighting! Besides," Catherin turns furiously to the girl in the baseball cap. "What exactly is he agreeing to, here!?"  
"All he's agreeing to is coming to the base and hearing our Commanders plea with the others." Shareena tosses her hat to Cat, revealing green streaks in the hair that had been hiden beneath the cap. "Then he decides from then on. All we're askin' for is a chance to talk."  
"Than talk. Why can't you do it here in front of his friends?"  
Cat argues. She really doesn't want me to go.  
"Cuz I ain't the one who's gonna be doin' the talkin'. Now, Trowa, you commin' or not?"  
"No, he's not!" I look around to notice that the other people from the circus have all ready scattered. In the distance, I see the Wing Zero shop a carrier in half as three more land. Armed soldiers come out, about fifty per carrier. No wonder everyone's leaving so fast.  
"Why you still here, chika? Ain'tcha gotten it inta your head that this don't involve you?"  
"This is Catherin, my older sister. It's all right she can come."  
"Uh no. Listen Trowa, my instructions were to get you, not some circus chika." Shareena argues.   
"She's comming or I'm staying."  
"Trowa?"  
"Jeez-louise! You're more difficult than Heero and Duo put together! Speakin' of which, Heero should get here soon and Duo should be getting the carriers."  
"Trowa, I can't _BELIEVE_ you're gonna listen to this lunatic! How do you know she's not just leading you into a trap!"  
"Ooh, we're just one BIG _happy_ family, aren't we? You sure you want her to come?" The girl puuls out her pistol and fires it up inbto the air. She smiles and states in a perky voice. "I could always kill her."  
"No way, missy, you ain't gettin' rid of me that easily. If Trowa's going than I'm comming!"  
"There's Heero, get down!"  
Shareena drops into a duck. I pull Catherin down. Heero's gundam changes from jet form to mobile suit. The hatch opens and Heero Yui himself jumps to the ground. "Shareena, where's Duo?"  
"How'm I s'posed ta know? I psychic now? Figure it out yourself, sheesh!" She looks at her watch. "Damnit, Duo's late!"  
"We have to leave soon, my gundam's not very conspicuous."  
"Unless this chika can use her magical circus freak powers to turn it into a cat, we're pretty messed. And, speaking of conspicuous, nice outfit, Cat."  
"It's my stage clothes." Catherin insists.  
"God, I should _hope_ so!"  
"Shareena, do you have anymore extra clothes?"  
"No, and my flight suit's about as conspicuous as the Deathscythe-hell painted purple! Is it just me or have we said conspicuous a lot?"  
Catherin laughs. "You've got some sense of humor, there, for a soldier."  
"The three most important things to know about me: one; I got a _strange_ sense 'o humor, two; I have a slight obesesion with the word chika, and three; everytime you call me Shareena 'stead of Shar gets ya one step closer to the nozzle of my gun."  
Ignoring her rambling, I remark, "Duo must be in trouble. It's not like him to be late."  
"Speakin' yet again 'bout fashion, you need help."  
"I'll go with Zero."  
"Hey! Is everyone just ignoring me!?!"  
"Shar, Heavy Arms is right over there. You take it and help Heero. I'll take care of Catherin."  
"Fine. Hope you don't object to women's driving. Not like I care. We'll be back soon. Let's go, Heero."  
Shareena disappears off into the tree-line and Heero boards his Gundam. The wing Zero lifts off the ground, changes from suit to plane, and zooms off. Moments later, my own Heavy Arms lifts off and follows afterwards." 


	4. Goin' to the Circus

Firebird  
Chapter 4  
Going to the Circus  
"Remind me again, Master Quatra of why we travelled all the way to the Ivory Coast?" One of my Maguanacs asks me.  
I sigh. "The circus. We are going to see the circus."  
"But Master Quatra, there are circuses in Arabia, why come all this way?"  
"Abdul,..."  
"Master Quatra has his reasons. It is not our job to question his decisions. If he wants us to go to the circus in the Ivory Coast, then we go see a circus in the Ivory Coast.'  
"Of course, I wasn't implying.... No, that's not what I meant. I was just curious, this seems so odd." Abdul comments.  
"Abdul, Rashid, everybody, it's not the circus exactly, it's someone _in_ the circus."  
"Master Quatra, we've reached the co-ordinates."  
"Thank you. Land please."  
The Maguanac lands the carrier. It's a mobile suit carrier, remolded to carry mass amounts of people instead of a suit.  
Rashid walks out and I follow him. The rest of the Maguanac Core exits th carrier after me. We stand in shock, looking down the ridge, to where the main tent lay in a heap, burning. Animals were scattered widly along the plain and so were people. The people were running from... Oz soldiers!  
The soldiers were spanning out wide, obviously searching for someone or something.  
"What happened here?"  
"Look, up the ridge. There's a trailor, and it has it's lights on."  
"Rashid, you come with me, we'll check on the trailor. everyone else, set off in groups of three or four and try to secure the area. They must be after Trowa."  
"Right!" They all chorus, The core splits up into groups and spread out. Rashid and I begin our way to the trailor. Rashid hands me a pistol.  
"Rashid..."  
"Master Quatra, it is my duty to protect you, and you will be better protected if you are armed. I know you don't like it."  
"We shouldn't have to fight anymore. The war is over! Where did all these soldiers come from? Who's organising them? What could there be to gain from another war?"  
Our way is blocked by a large clump of bushes, so we are forced to go into the tree-line. We stop and look out to a clearing where there is a soldier. I walk out with my gun raised and catch him by surprise. Rashid goes up behind him and knocks him out.  
"When we finally arrive at the trailor, I knock on the door. Rashid looks at me funny. "I wouldn't want to just intrude. It could be a girl's trailor."  
"Of course, Master Quatra, how thou..."  
The door opens a crack. One green eye looks out through the crack. The door opens quietly. Trowa pulls Rashid and I inside, then closes the door behind us. Rashid has to stoop so as not to hit his head on the low ceiling.  
"Shh. Do you have the whole core here?"  
"Yes, but..."  
"Rashid, get the core and spread them out near here. We need to wait until they get back."  
Rashid looks to me. I nod and he leaves quickly. "Trowa, what's happening? Who are we waiting for?"  
A female voice fromt he trailor's bedroom asks, "Trowa, what's happening?"  
"More friends, Catherin, come to help."  
"Trowa, was that Catherin?"  
"Yah. This is her trailor. I'm staying here with Catherin. You go help the Maguanacs."  
"Trowa?"  
"Just go, we have to keep the Oz soldiers away."  
I nod. So, they _are_ Oz, but how? What's happening her? What happened to the tent, and who are we waiting for? I walk out of the trailor, closing the door quietly behind me.  
  
So, after my conversation with Trowa, which left me with more questions than answers, I organised the Maguanacs and ended up by myself in a relativly small clearing which has only one feature, the rock I'm sitting on.  
Almost as much conversation possibilities as Heero and Trowa together.  
Then, a rustling in a bush, followed by complete silence. I look towards the bush. I don't see anything, just the natural colours of the woods around me: brown and green, trees and bushes. It's staring to get dark out, too.  
A twig snaps behind me and I twirl to look, but there's nothing there. Calm down, Quatra, there's nothing there. You're getting jumpy.  
A click and cold metal pressedf against my right temple.  
A pretty female voice hisses, "Nice reflexes, blondie, but not _quite_ nice 'nuff." I try to get a look at my capture, but she presses the gun nozzle into my temple as a reminder of its presence. "I don't think so, blondie. Not like I blame ya, though. I am quite a looker."  
Arrogant. That might help me escape. She's distracting herself with her own chatter.  
"Oh, and don't go gettin' cocky 'bout bein' alive, ozie. If I didn't have a use for you, you'd all ready be rotting in hell, we clear on that?"  
"I'm not an Oz soldier!" Imagine me, a gundam pilot, dying because some....lunatic thought I was in Oz!  
"Don't think you can pullthat on me just cuz you don't got a uni on. You guys 've been plyin' that one fer months, now. I ain't gonna buy..."  
A clatter of dishes breaking against each other and the ground, combined with a shocked gasp from behind us. Catherin says, "Shareena...!"  
The pressure of the gun lessens against my head slightly. Just enough...  
In a blur of instinctive movement, I twirl and grab hold of the nozzel of the gun. I use her hold on it to flip her on the groung, all without really looking at her.  
Her impact with the ground jars the gun from her grasp, leaving it in my sole posestion. I level it at my attacker.  
She was lying on her belly, probably winded by my move. She had boots which looked like a flight suits and gloves to match, but normal looking clothes. She has dark blue jeans and a humongous green sweater. Her hair is brown with green streaks.  
I debate silently wether to shoot her or not. She didn't work for Oz, but... The gun clicks into place, ready to do its job if I so decide.  
She pushes part of the way off the ground and turns her head to see me but ends up looking straight into the gun. "Fuck."  
"Don't shoot her!" Catherin runs in between the stranger and I. I blink down at Cat. "She's who we've been waiting for!"  
I lower the gun. Sahreena rolls over onto her back and sits up using her left hand to brace her head. "Go wonder-chika and her super circus-freak powers! By the way, WHAT IN BLOODY _HELL'S_ GOIN' ON HERE!!!!!!"  
"Calm down Sahr, he's a friend of Trowa."  
"Another one? And I s'pose he'll hafta come too! This just isn't my day." Sahreena stands up, walks around Cat and stands infront of me. She grabs her pistol out of my hand. "Gimme that...." She studies it, making sure it's all right. "Swaer ta god, man. I'm tired, my trigger finger fricken hurts, I'm bitchy.... so be it that's everyday, and my stomach hurts, thanks to the blondie."  
She's with Trowa? Great, I just attacked an ally. I hope she'll forgive me. "I'm really sorry about that."  
"Don't be such a wimp, it was self-freakin-defense. Besides, as usual, I started it. Anyway, hey, chika, where's Trowa at?"  
"he's out here somewhere."  
"Oh, now that's _useful_. I'll just add it to the list of things that have made this such a _wonderful_ day. Shit, I have bad luck!"  
"I'm right here."  
"Wha?" We all turnh around. Trowa stands up from a crouch, the reminants of the dishes Catherin had broken heaped in one hand.  
"Jeepers creepers, don't fucking do that ever again! Fuck! I am very unhappy today. Bad 'nuff havin' Ozies followin' me around, but I got allies playin' hide-and-go-scare-Shareena! Frick! Hey, why didn't you say anything?"  
Trowa shrugs.  
"Oh, thanks." Shareena shakes her head. "I give freakin' up! Someone just shoot me fucking now! But don't, that would hurt." She turns to be, and I can see her deep brown eyes even from where I stand. "Clown-boy, the wonder-chika an' I have to be going. Check ya later!" She turns to leave.  
"Wait, I can help you!" I have to make it up to her... Y'know, she wasn't kidding when she said she was pretty...  
"An' how'd ya p'pose ta do that, blondie?"  
"Shareena, he's a Gundam Pilot too." Trowa states. "Meet pilot 04."  
"She looks at him and points to me with her thumb, the rest of her hand in a fist. "This blondie? A gundam pilot? Sweet! Now I can still say it'd have ta be a GUndam pilot to get me down. That'r Milliardo, Treize, Noin...just to name a few. Y'know, the lead player-ish peoples. Ya."  
"Finally, someone talkative other than Duo, although I don't like the way she acts. She turns back to me. "I _guess_ you cna come... but any trouble and your ass'll be kicked before you can say 'please don't hurrrt me, please, I'll do anything you want!.'! Speakin' o' trouble, I'm gonna be in so much SHIT when I get back. Go after three peoples, come back with five ain't usually acceptable perimters."  
"Well, I should go talk to Rashid then."  
"Rashid?"  
And the Maguanacs."  
"The Magua-whatever-he-said? No... How many?"  
"40, exactly."  
"No. N. O. No. Nadda. Un uhn. I don't think so. Un uh. No way. No. N o way in bloody Hell's NAME! NO! Do ya hear me. That ain't gonna happen. No. You come now or you don't come at all."  
"But Rashid and the others..."  
She turns to Trowa, almost pleading, and explains through clenched teeth. "Heero and Duo are waiting, and they're not the most patient peoples in the world."  
Heero and Duo are here too? Wow, now I'm really glad I came. But I still don't know what's happening.  
"Right. Where...?" Trowa asks. Shareena starts walking and motions for us all to follow.  
"We didn't wanna land here with all the Ozies round-about so they went ahead and I came back to get Clown-boy and the Wonder-Chika."  
Wwe walk through the wooded area.  



	5. He He, sarcasm

Firebird  
Chapter 5  
He-he Sarcasm  
I sigh as I settle into the cold, leather chair of the mobile suit carrier. Usually I get to brag over Shar about missions, but today, well...  
I sigh again. This sucks! Her instructions: This country, this state/province, this city and this address. Fairly precise, right? Check mine: Somwhere in Japan, China, India or South-Eastern Russia. Oh, thanks. Thank you so very much!  
He-he, sarcasm.  
Uh, slight warning I probably shoulda mentioned earlier; I am really, really strange.  
I betcha figured that all ready!  
A voice comes in over the radio. =Lt. Colonel Marcia...= I stick out my tongue in disgust at such a formal use of my last name. It's awful normally, but it's even worse with a militaristic title.  
Militaristic. That's a big word for me.  
He-he, big.  
"Yah, I'm here."  
=... You are cleared for lift-off. Good luck.=  
"Thanks!" I'll need it.  
I lift off to travel to the Orient. Hey, I'm the new Orient express! I'm easily distracted. Now what was I saying? Oh, yah. I lift off to travel to the Orient in search of Pilot 05.   
Once I've finally reached the shimmery Pacific ocean, a voice crackles in over my comm. =Undine, Undine, do you copy. Undine, do you copy?=  
"Yep, I copy, but only with a five percent tax."  
=What?=  
"Nuthin'"  
=This is Farmer Brown. You're neede at pasture.=  
"But I'm on my way to hatch chick 'N'!" Oh, is this conversation a bit confusing? Too bad for you!  
He he, Mean-ness.  
=This is a side mission assigned. They need Undine at Pasture, East-end.=  
"Roger tha, Farmer Brown. I'm on my way there. What's my clearence?"  
=None needed, Undine. Farm-hand should be waiting.=  
"Roger. Hey, say hi to Farmer Billy-Bob for me, k? Luv ya, over and out-of-my-mind." Well that ends that. I change directions and direct my carrier to the base I'm needed at.  
'Farmer Brown' is the code name of the Commander. 'The pastur' is Victoria BC base. 'Farm-Hand' is the captain there and Undine, well duh. That's me! Duh. Didn't I say that before?  
I'm easily distracted.  
Now, you're probably thinkin' one of two things: first, if all these names have to do with farming, why'd she get called Undine and second, what is this girl on?  
The answer to the second question is nothin', I'm naturally like this and the answer to the first is something you can find out yourself...  
  
I freeze. Cramped in tiny ventalition as I am, I listen. There must be a guard outside the shaft. Damn. Well, how far could I have gotten without a fight? Not as far as I'd like, that's for sure.  
Don't get me wrong, it's not like I don't LOVE smahing in the heads of Ozies, but I'd like to keep the risk to a minimum. I'm too cute to die.  
I reach forward and un-screw the cover, pulling it back silently. I flatten it down in front of me and crawl to the edge. Directly below, in one of the hats that make Ozies look more like bell-hops, then soldiers, IS a soldier.  
I let my arm down out of the gap, then bring it up to bare against his neck. I lift kim up, using my legs and one arm against the vent walls to help me lift his weight without falling down into the hall.   
I feel himspasm then stop moving all together. A bullet ricochets in the room. I pull back my arm, allowing the corpse to slump to the ground.  
There were two soldiers. Well, now there's one and I don't have the eliment of surprise anymore.  
I do, however, have two advantages. The vent, and the fact that Oz soldiersboots make a lot of noise. I hear him walk carefully closer to the shafts opening.  
I try to draw my gun from its holster but there's not enough room in the vent to get my arm down there. I bring my arm back in front with the other.  
He gets into view and levels his gun at my forehead.  
A split second before he finishes pulling back the trigger, I flick up the grate to block the shot.  
Everything seems to move slowly in my mind's eye: the soldier jolting back sligtly from the pistols recoil, his eye's gleaming of expectant victory, changing then to surprise and disbelief. The scene continues: the bullet smashing hurtling forward, then smashing into the grate, forcing it back, almost far enough to hit me anyway.  
Then, in a direct opposite to earlier, everything speeds up to fast-forward. Using my legs, I propel myself out the tunnel head first and rollacross the floor, grate still in my hands.  
The soldier is slow, and takes another futile shot into the grate behind me before fully comprehending my movement  
I stand up, bringing the grate up under the gun and, by twisting the metal, knock the firearm flying from his grasp. Turning my twist into upward momentum, the cover hits his chin, rending him unconcious.  
I sigh. One dead, one probably (with a concussion). In and out; my mission. Easier said than done. Espionage has always been Shar's thing, not mine.  
A red light bulb overhead flashes on as the normal lights flash off. A shrill alarm sounds. My fellow opeatives have done their job, no, to do mine.  
Time to go.  



	6. RBB/The Faction

Firebird  
Chapter 6  
Faction.Hey all, it's Tyria again. This is another shorty, featuring something I personally love, a classic BGOV, plus the introduction of the RBB, and, maybe, if your lucky, the point of the Title. Enjoy!  
  
"Hey, Heero, when do ya suppose Shareena and Trowa will be here?" I ask. We're sitting on top of the carrier, Heero watching in case some soldiers come at us from behind us, and me keeping watch out where Shareena had disappeared off to find the other pilot.  
The 'perfect soldier' shrugs. One of those times where it'd be nice to have the Q-man here. He knows what talking is, and activly participates in it. Then, Heero hits me lightly on the shoulder and points off towards where I'm suppose to be looking.  
Sure enough, Shareena walks out of the woods, followed by Trowa's sister, Trowa and none other than Quatra himself. Where'd she manage to drag him up from? She waves perkily at Heero and I. A bit too perkily. This can't be good.  
When they get closer, we jump down to the ground. Shareena proclaims in an exceedingly happy voice, "I'm in an unbelievably bad mood!!"  
"Who was stupid enough to risk that?" I yell out.  
"The blond, of course. Always the blond. I gotta contact H.Q.. Everyone, stay frosty." She climbs up into the cockpit of the first carrier.  
The spectacularily strange conversation that follows goes like this, " Farmer Brown, Farmer Brown, do you copy? Farmer Brown, do you copy? ---This is Avatar. I have chick W, H and D with me, plus two shells. Over.---Chick S? Yes, I have the info. I'll find 'im. Any news 'bout Undine? Over. --- What the hell? Since fricken when? Uh, over.--- Rodger that Farmer Brown. Over and Out."  
"That made sense." Catherin mumbles sarcastically.  
"Catherin, it's military coding. It's not supposed to make sense."  
"Whatever."  
Shareena comes back out. "Guess what, I'm in an even worse mood than after blondie flipped me!" She exclaims with a gleeful grin that creeps me out. "Anyway, ... y'know what, I say anyway way too much. And, I'm so pissed, i'm reverting to Asmira-ness! Holy Firck, that ain't good. Heero," Shar turns to look at him. "Do ya still got that RBB I gave you?" Heero nods and disappears into the back of one of the carriers. "RBB, Really Big Book."  
Heero comes back out a few minutes later and gives Shareena a , well, a Really Big Book. She imediatly sits down on the ground and opens the book. She mumbles as she reads. "Registered Gundanium aloid Mobile suits, page seventeen." She flips a few pages. 'S, S. Hmmm. Avatar-a, no. DeathScythe-d, no. DeathScythe-Hell-the-freakin-same, no. Epion-e, no. Heavy-Arma-H, no. Mercurius-m, no. Sandrock-s, ok. Height, no. Weight, no. Skip this, skip that, crap... Pilot Description. Name: Quatra. Physical description: Light Blond hair, ... uh..... shit." She trails off and looks at the blond pilot. "You're Quatra." The Q-man nods.  
"Damn. Ok then. That was easy. Back to the radio!" She closes the RBB and passes it back to Heero, who disappears into the back of the carrier again. She goes into the front. "Farmer Brown, Farmer Brown, do you copy? Farmer Brown, do you copy?"--- This is Avatar,...----Yes, again.--- Yes, I know.---- ok, just shut up and listen. One shell hatched chick S. Over.--- Yes, I said it that time.---Yes, I'm impressed too. Shut up again. Anything else you want me to do?--- Ha ha ha, very funny. Will set route for Farm House imediatly. Over and Out." She motions us to get in.  
Heero gets in the pilot part for the second carrier. Catherin and Trowa get in that one as well. The Q-man and I are stuck with the Brown-and-Green One. Quatra sits in the seat next to her and I sit between and behind them.  
Heero's voice crackles in over the radio. For some reason, Shareena detached the view screens. =You lead off, Shar.=  
"Well duh, I figured that out on my own. I'm the one who knows where the fuck to go! Catch ya later!" She flicks the radio off. "What-a wierdo. My type o' person! Hey! I can take my hair outta this damn ponytail now!" She takes the band out and looks at it for a few seconds. She turns to Quatra and shoots it at him with deadly accuracy. Maybe not. Hits him in the cheeck, though.  
"Ow! Hey, what was that for?"  
"Maybe the whole me-on-the-ground-winded thang?"  
Quatra sighs and looks out the window. Y'know what, I think he's actually sorta likes the lunatic. Poor guy, glad it's not me!  
Then, I realise something. "Uh, Shareena, I hate to incure the wrath of the Brown-and-Green One, but shouldn't we lift off soon?"  
"Wha? Oh yah.... he he he, oops. God, I really _am_ reverting to Asmira-ness. I'm sure glad the comm's off right about now."  
  
"Commander?"  
I turn in my large chair to look at the Admiral. The low G in the room causes my hair to fan out behind me. "What is it, Admiral Emes? I thought I asked not to be disturbed."   
He gulped. Even now, my reputation thrives. "Sir. I was aware of this, but..."  
"Emes, stop snivelling and get to the point."  
"Sir, yes sir. Rose Harbour, BC, Canada has been attacked by what is believed to be the Firebired Faction. 5 men are confirmed dead, nineteen missing. Inumerable injuries, 35 serius, including that one young man you asked to keep track of."  
"Santiago?...too bad. He showed promise. His injuries?"  
"Concussion. Plus possible brain damage, they're not sure how long he was out. Perimetics can't be sure until he regains conciousness."  
"Ah. Bring him here."  
"Sir?"  
"That's an order. Now, about the base?"  
"Firebird stole suits, guns and ammunition mostly. Reports say one talented indivitual managed to single-handedly get the blue-prints for the Sagitarius and the Scorpia."  
"Hmm. Disappointing. Did they get the..."  
"No sir, they didn't come near it. They were only after the Sagitarius and the Scorpia. The attack itself was believed to be cover for the operative who got the blue prints."  
"Interesting. They're getting more clever. Any news on 7?"  
"The Tagger women? Yes, the circus raid failed. 3 dead, 22 serious. And, well it was going on, the under-defended base we took the troops from was attacked by Zero, Deathscythe-Hell and HeavyArms. 74 dead, 103 serious. Loss of amunition and 2 mobile suit carriers."  
I dont' reply. I rest my head on my hands and spin my chair back to the monitor.  
"Sir, if I may be so bold as to suggest something...?"  
"Yes, go ahead."   
"Could the Gundams have joined Firebird? This is their first appearence since the end of the war. And so well timed with the Tagger women's assault. Some soldiers even claim to have seen Wing Zero at the circus tent. Plus, all the unconfirmed Gundam attacks, such as the one on L2..."  
"Hmm. If so... Either way, Firebird, Gundams or no Gundams, has become a nuisance. I want them all eliminated."  
"But sir, such an out-right aggressive move, it could start a new war!"  
"Admiral Emes, leave."  
"Yes, sir."  
  
Well, how was that. I expect some feed-back, or else! Grrrrrrrrr. BTW, BGOV stands for Bad-Guy-O-Vision. The Really Big Book will live on! Ta!  
Tyria 


End file.
